Print › SAT Vocab - Foundation Words Pt. 1

aberration: n. something different from the usual
abstract: adj. theoretical; not concrete; difficult to understand
abstruse: adj. difficult to comprehend
advocate: v. to recommend; plead for
aesthetic: adj. pertaining to beauty or art
alleviate: n. to relieve; improve somewhat
altruistic: adj. selfless; generous
ambiguous: adj. doubtful or unclear
ambivalent: adj. having conflicting feelings
ameliorate: v. to improve
analogous: adj. comparable
anarchy: n. lawlessness
anomaly: n. irregularity
antipathy: n. dislike
apathy: n. indifference
appease: v. to calm; pacify
arbitrary: adj. unreasonable; selected randomly
asceticism: n. self-denial
assuage: v. to make less severe
austere: adj. unadorned; stern
autonomous: adj. self-governing
banal: adj. commonplace; unoriginal
benevolent: adj. generous; charitable
candor: n. honesty of expression
cathartic: adj. purifying; cleansing
charisma: n. personal magnetism
chauvinism: n. fanatical patriotism; prejudiced belief in the superiority of a group
coercion: n. use of force
compliant: adj. yielding
conciliatory: adj. overcoming distrust or hostility
condone: v. to overlook; forgive
conjecture: n. conclusion reached without proof
contention: n. assertion; controversy
contentious: adj. causing quarrels
convoluted: adj. twisted; complicated
corroborate: v. to confirm
criteria: n. standards used in judging
decorum: n. proper behavior
deference: n. respect; regard for another’s wish
deride: v. to mock
derivative: adj. unoriginal
deter: v. to discourage; hinder
dichotomy: n. division into two usually contradictory parts
diffuse: adj. wordy; rambling; spread out
digress: v. to stray from the main subject
dilemma: n. situation requiring a choice between two unsatisfactory options
discerning: adj. perceptive; exhibiting keen insight and good judgment
discordant: adj. not in tune
disparage: v. to belittle; to make someone/something to seem little or less
disparity: n. difference